first oxidation product of alcohol, 1833, discovered in 1774 by German-born Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742-1786), the name said to have been coined by German chemist Justus von Liebig (1803-1873) from abbreviation of Modern Latin alcohol dehydrogenatum "dehydrogenated alcohol."

(āl'də-hīd') Any of a class of highly reactive organic compounds obtained by oxidation of certain alcohols and containing the group CHO. Aldehydes are used in manufacturing resins, dyes, and organic acids.